[SOC] NTSB prelim report on W3PP and friends plane crash

[Andy Swiffin]

>>> On 11/11/2009 at 13:57, in message
<D3B0B08ED0D94E458EEF928AD3510FE7 at SONYRB42G>, "Robert Naumann" <w5ov at w5ov.com>
wrote:
> There's nothing there aside from background investigation info at this time.
> 
> 
> Nothing about cause etc.
> 

There are maybe some hints:

"The 0615 reported weather observation at DYB included calm winds; visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 4 degrees C, dew point 3 degrees C; altimeter 30.26 inches of mercury."

Pete  was clearly an experienced and well qualified pilot who was obviously meticulous about operating his aircraft (weight and balance calcs etc - amazing how many people don't bother). 

I guess though that I would probably speculate on the possibility of  carburetor icing causing a loss of power on climb out?    At that temperature and dew point carb icing would have been a serious issue possibly at all power settings.   I have no experience of the Aztec, but a lot with the Piper PA28 single engine,  unless the Aztec had  turbo charged engines I'm assuming it has the same manual carburetor heat controls as the singles?   With the PA28 I've had the engines stop on the ground after startup on a cold damp morning due to carb ice,  I  usually let it happen if I've got a pupil as a demo of how serious a problem it can be.    For a discussion on carb icing (on a different a/c type) see http://diamondpilots.blogspot.com/2009/10/pilot-drowned-after-he-ditched-aircraft.html 

It would be a shame if Pete got caught out by carb icing,  but I guess you folks in SC are used to slightly higher temperatures and are less prone to it?  Certainly where I've flown in FL they seem very blase about it!   The one big problem for the investigators if it was carb icing is that the evidence is long gone before they get there.   I guess we'll hear they're findings in due course.

73
Andy
gm8oeg
CPL CFI






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